Frequently Asked Questions

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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know when my utility meters will be read?
The meter reading date for your home is listed on your bill
in the top right corner. See illustration to the right.
How do I know if my meter is being read?
Your meter has been read unless indicated otherwise on
your bill below each service listing, i.e. electricity, gas or
water. See illustration to the right.
What happens if the meter reader makes a mistake?
There is a High/Low Audit feature built into the system to
let the meter reader know if his/her reading is unusually
high or low. In addition, MLGW’s Customer Accounts and
Records department monitors meter readings. If the original reading is out of line with the previous reading, MLGW
will conduct further investigation.
What should I do if I disagree with the meter reading on
my utility bill?
Call the Customer Care Center at 544-MLGW (6549).
How do I know if my meter reading has been estimated?
If your meter reading has been estimated, it will be indicated on your bill below the usage information for your
electricity, gas or water. See illustration to the right.
Why does MLGW estimate meter readings?
Meters are estimated if the meter reader can’t get a visual
reading. This could be due to several factors: weather, dogs
in your yard, locked gates, bad road conditions, blocked
meters or refused access by the property owner. Once the
meter is read, the estimated reading will be corrected.
What equipment do meter readers use to assist them
with their job?
A hook and key to open and read water meters, scopes to
read meters at a distance when possible, and an FS-3 handheld computer to immediately enter readings into the system. Meter readers also use a “water tube” to read water
meters when the meter box is full of water.
When gates are locked or a meter reader can’t gain access
to a property, he/she will attempt to use a scope to read the
meter from a rear street or neighbor’s yard if possible. Unfortunately, meter readers are not always able to get a good
view with their scopes, so these meters must be estimated.
An experienced meter reader has the capability to scoperead a meter up to 108 feet (36 yards) depending on light,
angle of meter and any foliage. A trained meter reader
reads dials on meters in a matter of seconds, as quickly
and accurately as most people read a clock. Meter readings
are audited for accuracy based on defined parameters to
reduce human error.
How can MLGW read all of the meters in its service area
in one month?
MLGW employs enough meter readers to read approximately 1,020,000 meters a month in several billing cycles
with an accuracy rate of approximately 99.5 percent. The
number of meters each employee reads per day can range
from around 250 to 1,800, depending on the employee’s
route (houses vs. apartments), whether or not they work
overtime, weather conditions, speed, etc. The average meters read per employee per day is approximately 633.
Can I read my own meter?
Yes. MLGW has materials available to teach customers how
to read their own meters so they can monitor and compare their consumption between bills. There are simplified
meter-reading instructions on the reverse side of this brochure. We encourage customers to learn how to verify their
meter readings each month, but not to send their readings
to MLGW.
How often are meters recalibrated or serviced?
On average, residential gas and electric meters are recalibrated and serviced approximately every 25 years. Water
meters are usually changed out after 15 years.
Is there a charge to have a meter?
There is a minor monthly service fee for each meter, active or inactive, which includes metering equipment and
meter costs. For more information, visit our Web site at
www.mlgw.com.
Is MLGW using digital meters?
Digital meters are specifically designed for large loads, and
are used primarily by commercial and industrial customers. The only residential customers using digital meters
are those with electric loads greater than 300 amps per
month.
When will MLGW install automated meters at customers’ homes?
MLGW is evaluating an Automated Metering Infrastructure (AMI) for possible future use. There is no timetable
for implementation, and no decisions have been made
concerning the adoption of AMI. AMI has several benefits,
including real-time readings on demand, load control commands, tamper and outage alerts, two-way functionality,
the ability to adjust billing dates and more.
UTILITY BILL
Date: September 26, 2007
COPY
Amount Due: $ 708.85
Due Date: October 12, 2007
For: JOHN DOE
Services at: 1234 ANYWHERE DR
Account Number: 00011−1111−2222−222
Previous Balance
Payments Received
Balance Forward
$ 678.16
200.00
478.16
Readings
Usage
Amount
Total
GAS
9/25/07
8/24/07
G−3 Residential Gas
1880
1874
includes Purchased Gas Adjustment of 0.2051000/ccf
ELECTRIC
E−1 Residential Electric
9/25/07
46959
8/24/07
45149
6
12.55
12.55
1810
141.62
Your current reading was estimated due to a dog in yard.
includes TVA Fuel Cost Adjustment of 0.0045600/kwh
WATER
W−51 Residential Water
9.25% Sales Tax
9/25/07
1144
8/24/07
1131
141.62
13
23.08
2.13
25.21
0.61
9.44
2.57
Service:
Days of Service
32
Average Utility Cost per Day:
$ 7.21
81
Average Temperature:
01
Billing Cycle:
08:42:06
Reader on Site: September 25, 2007
October 24, 2007
Next Reading Date:
Contact:
Non−MLGW
See back of bill.
New Service Requests,
Transfers, Disconnects and
Trouble/Maintenance
OTHER MLGW
Gas Late Fee
Electric Late Fee
Water Late Fee
A Cut Off Notice was mailed to you on
September 18, 2007. The past due
balance of $478.16 must be received or
satisfactory payment arrangements made to
avoid automatic disconnection of service. If
you have questions, please contact MLGW.
12.62
Billing Inquiries,
Payment Arrangements and
Service Reconnects
820−7878
544−MLGW (6549)
Hours: Monday − Friday 7AM − 9PM
My Account Access Code: 145748
www.mlgw.com
Pay Online!
Pay By Phone!
1−888−589−4868
Current charges are continued on the reverse side.
If paying in person, please present both portions of bill.
Please detach and return in the enclosed envelope with payment.
MEMPHIS LIGHT,
GAS AND WATER
DIVISION
Please be sure address on
the reverse side appears
in the window of the
envelope.
Amount Due: $ 708.85
Due Date: October 12, 2007
If received later, amount due is $717.71
number you have just read. That’s how many
kilowatt hours (KWH) of electricity or hundred
cubic feet (CCF) of gas you have used since the
previous reading.
How to Read your Meter
Gas and Electric Meters
Electric meters measure kilowatt hours (KWH) and gas
meters measure hundred cubic feet (CCF). Some meters
have four dials while others have five, but the method of
reading them is the same. Use the following guidelines to
obtain an accurate meter reading:
• Record your meter measurements beginning with the
dial on the far right first, reading the dials from right
to left. Write down the last number the hand on the
dial has passed. The numbers should be recorded from
right to left.
Note: Some dial hands turn clockwise; others turn
counter-clockwise. The direction of each dial can be
determined by the direction of its ascending numbers
(0-9).
9
9
5
2
New reading
Previous reading
99523
– 98279
Amount of KWH or CCF used
1244
EXAMPLE:
Water Meters
Water meters (usually located in the ground at the
front curb) measure the amount of water used in your
household in cubic feet (one cubic foot equals 7.48
gallons). Water meters have one dial only.
The method of reading them is somewhat different
from gas and electric meters. Use the following
guidelines to obtain an accurate meter reading:
Most water meters use straight-reading dials (like the
one pictured below), which are read the same way
you read your car’s odometer for mileage. MLGW
calculates water bills based on hundreds of cubic feet
(CCF) or per 748 gallons, so one cubic foot equals
about 7.5 gallons. The last two digits on the right on
the meter dial are dropped when the meter is read.
3
Here’s how water use is calculated:
• Your usage is the difference between the current
meter reading and the prior meter reading.
• Water meters are read from left to right in units of
100 cubic feet.
• Read only the four numbers on the far-left side of
your meter. These represent whole units. One unit
represents 100 cubic feet or 748 gallons of water.
• The number of units shows you how much water you
have used, subtracting the prior month’s reading from
the current reading.
In the example below, disregarding the two digits on
the right, the water meter reads 0024, or 2400 cubic
feet, which equals 17,952 gallons. In this example,
if your previous month’s water meter reading was
0014, you used 10 units, and your water usage for the
month would equal 7,480 gallons.
Simple Meter Reading
Directions and
Frequently
Asked
Questions
• If a hand is right on a number and you don’t know
if it has passed or not (far left dial above), look at
the dial to its immediate right to see if the hand has
passed 0.
• If the dial on the right has not passed 0, write down
the number the dial
on its immediate
left has just passed
– in the example
above, 9.
• If the dial on the
right has passed
0, write down the
number the hand
on its immediate left is pointing to – in the
example to the right, 9.
7
9
0
• To find out how much electricity you have used,
subtract your previous meter reading from the
7
Your
Utility
Meters
This meter reads: 817 CCF
www.mlgw.com
MLGW/CW/3-08/2M